Product Details

• Actors: Charles Durning, Kelsey Grammer, Michael Learned, Cliff Robertson, Rick Schroder
• Directors: Lisa Bourgoujian
• Writers: Don Cambou
• Producers: Lisa Bourgoujian, Craig Haffner, Deborah M. Davis, Donna E. Lusitana, Gary Foreman
• Format: Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 6
• Studio: A&E Home Video
• VHS Release Date: April 24, 1997
• Run Time: 100 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6303362192
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #158,750 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

This six-tape set provides a clear and complete narrative of the events surrounding the birth of America. Unfortunately, it is a bit dry, as the repetitive music is distracting and certain images are shown far too frequently. However, the varied materials used to tell this tale will please history buffs. The producers employed a blend of battle reenactments, location filming, paintings, engravings, and the narratives of actual letters and documents from the 1770s. Events are covered in detail--these are not just the highlights remembered from school. However, due to the density of the material, you have to be a fan of the genre. The narrators include such well-polished actors as Charles Durning, Michael Learned, Rick Schroder, and Cliff Robertson. --Rochelle O'Gorman

Product Description

This epic production tells the stories of the men and events that shaped the birth of our nation. From the masterful diplomacy of Ben Franklin to the inglorious fate of Benedict Arnold, THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION is the definitive look at the struggle to create a new form of government for a New World. Examine the great changes and subtle forces that gave rise to the first democratic nation in the modern world. Revisit the twenty-year struggle for American independence through dramatic re- enactments of great battles, period art and artifacts, rare archival material, and contemporary commentary by leading historians. And hear the words of the founding fathers and the men who fought for freedom read by leading actors such as Kelsey Grammer and Michael Learned.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

46 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A&E at it's finest, July 4, 2005

By 

M. Neels "History Ph.D. Student" (St. Louis, Missouri) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The American Revolution (History Channel) (DVD)

This DVD, while marketed as a History Channel production, actually dates back to the A&E days, before History Channel went on the air. It reminds me greatly of another A&E documentary I own, the four-tape set on the Titanic Disaster. I was very impressed by the Titanic Disaster special, and even more so by the American Revolution. As a History Major, I was able to watch this with an air of understanding, having already known quite a bit about the revolution, and still went away surprised. The documentary does a good job of showing the preserved battlefields of the Revolution (far less in numbers than those preserved from the Civil War) and does an excellent job of depicting the exciting times, the political struggles, and the men involved in what was the American Revolution. It even had William Daniels portraying the voice of John Adams (Daniels played Adams in the stage and screen adaptations of 1776: the Musical)! If you have even a vague interest in the American Revolution, or just feel patriotic, this is the documentary for you!

38 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars AAA, May 8, 2006

By 

Ken Roberts "social historian" (Michigan United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The American Revolution (History Channel) (DVD)

This set get a triple A for Accuracy, Authenticity, and Action.
Many reviewers (including Amazon's) state that this is dry or boring. I disagree - in fact, I found it engulfing in the least, as did my 15 year old son, for whom I bought it.
Setting the stage for the reasons behind the Rev War and carrying on through all the major battles, using old paintings, drawings, as well as re-enactors to carry us through, this set pretty much covers the beginnings of our great nation. I don't know what else could have been done, aside from making an actual movie, to have this documentary be more exciting.
This box set of five DVD's also includes separate biographies of three of our Founding Fathers and the most famous traitor in our history.
Although a bit pricey, it is a very well-done high quality narration of the Revolutionary War, bringing my history book to life.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not bad at all, July 9, 2006

By 

Michael R. Nichols "Wildcatmikey" (Huntsville, AL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The American Revolution (History Channel) (DVD)

I read another review that said that this was a bit dry. I suppose that depends on how interested one is in the subject. From my perspective, this was not dry at all, but my interest level is very high.

Bill Kurtis is the host of this program and he does a good job of setting up what is to be seen and he ends each segment with a good summary and a teaser to see what is coming next.

Sure there were some re-enactment scenes that were repeated, but that didn't adversely impact the subject being talked about at the time. I thought the music was great and I'd like to get a CD just of that, if it exists.

There are many recognizable voices that speak for the characters. I tried to recognize the voice before I read the credits of whose voice depicted which character. I especially liked hearing William Daniels as John Adams, since he played John Adams in the movie version of "1776" and I love that production. This was a reprise, of sorts, for him.

Of the five DVD's that came with the package, only three of them actually depict the revolution. The other two are biographies of Washington, Franklin, Benedict Arnold and Paul Revere.

The bottom line is that this production is informative, educational and entertaining, albeit to different degrees for different people with differing interest levels. I'm sure that for a genuine historian, all of this is old hat, but for me, not a historian, just an interested American in our country's founding, I learned things that I didn't know; what happened at West Point, for example. The production helped me to put into perspective different events and how they related to other events and it cleared up some time lines for me.

Another good series from way before the war through the constitutional congress is "Liberty." "The American Revolution" does nicely on the war, but it quickly passes over what happened after the war, which is important in keeping a nascent country together.

I recommend this production for the interested, especially if you haven't seen other depictions of the revolution. Even if you have, you can pick up information that isn't in other depictions.